Northern Group Car of the Year 2023: MG4 Takes Electric Vehicle Class Win

MG’s MG4 has topped the Northern Group of Motoring Writers’ Car of the Year voting for the Electric Vehicle category, putting it into the six-car final group eligible for the overall title

It’s the first fully electric hatchback from the MG brand, based on the same Xingyun (Nebula)/Modular Scalable Platform as the upcoming Cyberster sports car. However the MG4 is, for the most part, a more humble offering.

In standard guise, the MG4 is a single-motor, rear-wheel drive EV. The standard range, 218-mile model sports a 51kWh (net) lithium iron phosphate battery with a 168hp rear-axle motor, while nickel-manganese-cobalt tech is used for the longer-range 64kWh and 77kWh (net) models. They also see an increase in power to 201hp and 241hp respectively, with up to 323 miles on a charge from the extended-range car.

The MG4 beat the BYD Atto 3 and Hyundai Ioniq 6 to top the EV category this year, advancing to the Car of the Year driving day for evaluation by our panel of judges.

MG provided an example of the MG4, in its range-topping, all-wheel drive XPOWER form. This dual-motor, 430hp model adds a high-performance angle, while resurrecting MG’s famous motorsports branding last seen in the early-2000s.

One of our 15-member judging panel commented:

It is a testament as to how far MG has come in just a few short years, and it is the only affordable EV that I am happy to recommend to friends.

The judges cast their votes for the six finalists in a secret ballot, the results of which will be revealed at the SMMT Test Day North. Should the winning manufacturer’s press office be in attendance, they’ll receive the coveted “Arthur” award in the traditional lunchtime presentation.